Presser points | Spurs 3-1 AZ Alkmaar | Ange Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou spoke to the media at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after our 3-1 win against AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, second leg, on Thursday evening, taking us through to a quarter-final clash in April against Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 on aggregate.

Here's what he had to say...

Ange on how the team approached the second leg...

"I really liked the way the boys addressed the challenge tonight. It's not easy when you're 1-0 down before the game starts. You know you don't want to give the opposition any opportunity to get a further advantage. I thought we started the game really well, really composed and controlled. We didn't create a lot, but at the same time, we just had them camped in their half and they didn't really venture anywhere near our goal. We scored a really good goal from our press and the second half started brilliantly, exactly what we wanted to do, got our goal, but then we gave them a goal. That puts the tie again on edge a little bit, but I thought our response to that was really good, scored another good goal, probably should have got another one or two to finish the game off.  We probably didn't handle the last 10 minutes very well, but at the same time when I'm having to change the backline so much, at such a critical time, it's going to disrupt us. Again, I thought at the big moments, the boys stood up well. Really pleased, they did a fantastic job to get us through."

Ange on Wilson Odobert and Lucas Bergvall...

"They were massive, brilliant for us, brilliant for the club, like I keep saying, we've got some really exciting talent. Lucas is growing all the time. People are getting a glimpse of what Wilson's all about. I just thought the whole group handled it really well. It was great to have Romero and Micky, we just looked so solid at the back. While they were out there, we never really looked like getting threatened. Just made us look more solid as a team. So, a lot of positives there."

Ange on Sonny's display...

"Sonny gives you everything every game, there's no doubt about that. He works so hard for the team. He had a couple of moments today, a couple of times unlucky, a couple of times could have been on the end of things, but it was a collective effort tonight. I think it's the first time - somebody said - since October we've had our four leaders on the park - Vicario, Romero, Maddison and Sonny. So much this year we've relied on one or two of those, but to have all four of them out there makes a difference for us. I thought they all led the team well."

Ange on 'looking more like ourselves'...

"Well, it's no coincidence. We're getting some of our key players back and of course we are. We've got guys who are getting decent recovery between games and we can change the team a fair bit. Don't forget Sonny and Madders didn't start at the weekend.  We can do these things that allow us to prepare the team properly. We did look more like ourselves but we've still got levels to go, because I still think players like Romero, Micky and Wilson and Dom and all these guys are still building their way up to match fitness and match sharpness. With the quarter-final being three-and-a-half weeks away, there's an opportunity for us to get these guys up to speed for that game."

Ange on being positive...

"I've always been positive and I've always been encouraged. My mood is not dictated by outside, it's dictated by internal things and I've never wavered from the fact, and I think I've said consistently, that when we're at our best we can compete with anyone. We get an opportunity now to build up some players and hopefully, we've still got some significant talent out and they could be coming back. All of that will be helpful for us reaching the levels that we need."

Ange on James Maddison's display...

"I thought all night he was really good. I think all those four leaders felt like it's their time now. It's been really tough for them, it's been really tough for all of us, the whole club, but particularly the players. I thought that Madders, when we needed the quality, he was there tonight and made all the good decisions for us. He worked hard for the team, which was so important.  I think from my perspective it now allows us to have this solid core of players, our best players, that are available, getting to fitness, but we also have this ability to put people on who can also impact games which was important today."

Ange on Wilson Odobert...

"I'm super pleased for him because he's worked awfully hard. I'd be surprised if I have to explain why I selected him, if you didn't see that today... I was excited when we signed him. He's one of these players who has the ability to take players on, find space, great technician and super pleased for him to get his goals. He's worked hard silently and to get back in the team. Obviously he came to a new club, a big club and big move for him and it didn't work out for him through no fault of his own, through the injury and it's been frustrating for me not to be able to showcase him and know how much he can develop and that's just the starting point for him. He's still working his way to full fitness. When you look at the likes of him and Lucas and Archie and two or three others we've got, there's some enormously exciting talent there."

Ange on the third goal...

"I think it’s important because again, look, all goals are important and particularly in a game like that, but when you score a goal you know is so much of the core of our attacking phases and we work so hard on, I think the players get belief out of that, that it does work. Having Dom in there gives you a real focal point and just having his presence in the box, the ability to have guys like Madders and Sonny fresh today to be able to run at the opposition, they are just things we haven’t had the luxury of in the last three-and-a-half months. As I said, I think it was a really good foundational game for us to build on because I still feel like we will improve because of the nature of where people are at. I couldn’t be happier with the players. They deserve to get through and now we’re into the quarter-finals of a European competition which I think is exciting."

Ange on this win being an important step...

"I think the way we handled it tonight was important. As much as you try to block out the outside noise, and it doesn’t bother me, but I am sure the players and the whole club was aware tonight was a big night for us. When you are already 1-0 down you can get really anxious about it but I never felt that. Up until we sort of gave them the first goal, I thought the lads had handled it superbly. They were in control, they looked strong, they looked dominant, aggressive and looked threatening in the front third. All the things we want to be. I think Micky coming off disrupted us a little bit, we had to change a couple of things and we give them a goal that changed the momentum of the game to make it more nervy than it needed to be, but yeah on what was a big night, I couldn’t be happier with the way the players tackled it and it’s a credit to them."